


Consideration

by kuonji



Series: Points In Common, side stories, misc. stories, AU story [13]
Category: C6D - Fandom, Wilby Wonderful (2004)
Genre: F/M, Family, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-20
Updated: 2012-05-20
Packaged: 2017-11-05 18:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/409559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuonji/pseuds/kuonji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Third of the Miscellaneous Stories for Points In Common.</p><p>When Dan goes to visit his parents, Duck is left somewhat at loose ends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consideration

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative Links:  
> <http://kuonji14.livejournal.com/51401.html>

Carol doesn't talk much. Even after years of friendship, she still puts on her company face half the time -- especially in public. Unlike her husband, she isn't used to speaking her mind. Duck understands that. It's partly armor. It's partly habit. He's often the same way. The fact that his company face is reasonably close to his private one only means that he hides himself in less obvious ways.

Dan's dad calls one day out of the blue. He tells Dan to come 'home' for a while to sort out some legal affairs. He takes care to emphasize how 'very sensitive' all the information is. Dan dithers and makes sometimes angry sometimes abashed apologies, but finally he packs a bag and Duck sends him off to visit his parents for two weeks.

It's a surprise to Duck to realize that this is the longest the two of them have been apart since Dan moved in years ago. He'd thought it might be relaxing. After all, he'd lived for a long time alone. But it's actually kind of... boring. It isn't as if he and Dan had had hula parties every night, but it feels weird not to have someone ask him what's funny when he smiles at a joke he remembers, or to have someone ask him what's wrong when he curses after stubbing a toe on the divider between living room and kitchen. Losing that background chatter seems strange.

Carol calls Duck up a couple of days in and says, "I keep telling Buddy we need to build that enclosure for the back porch. When are you free?" He shows up that afternoon.

It's not a huge job, as these things go. Buddy's got the materials manifest ready so the supply run is fast and easy, and there's no concrete work involved, just simple carpentry. Once they've got the corner posts up, it's mechanical work. They finish in two evenings, and then Duck spends one afternoon giving it a coat of 90% white to match the side of the house.

Through the kitchen window, he watches Carol mutter to herself as she tries out new recipes for sushi and fancy appetizers and snacks. Jimmy brings out the results in bowls, pestering him until he climbs down the ladder, then stuffing rice and fish and cheese in his open mouth when he explains that his hands are dirty. Jimmy gobbles up his share alongside, and Duck laughs and takes at least twice as long to get the job done.

While he's waiting for the first coat to dry, Carol asks him to help her clean the kitchen, and then vacuum the living room, and then organize the garage. The next day, when he comes back to put on the waterproofing, she hands him her keys and asks him to change the oil in her car, and get it detailed while he's at it. She has him take Jimmy to the Library in the afternoon for a school report and then to Bargain Giant for a new pair of trainers and to the dentist for a checkup (and a lollipop).

Buddy rolls his eyes and complains on Duck's behalf -- "I'm sure he has his own things to do, Carol" -- but Duck waves it all away with a shrug. In the evenings, he dutifully washes vegetables and scrapes fish scales and takes out the garbage, then amicably sits down at the table since apparently refusing is not an option. On Sunday, they all go to the puppet show at the park together.

Before he knows it, he's driving to the airport again, this time to bring Dan home.

Two days after Dan comes back (loudly not-complaining about his parents and showing him pictures from Vancouver about things they'd talked about on the phone) Duck brings Carol an apple and strawberry pie.

"It's something Ms. Neil used to make," he tells her.

"You'll have to give me the recipe," she says, smiling brightly and looking very proper.

"Okay," he answers. He leans down and kisses her on the cheek, which makes her exclaim and makes Jimmy giggle.

  


END.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:  
>      [What's Important, Part Two: In The Doughnut Hole](http://kuonji14.livejournal.com/47327.html) (Wilby Wonderful), by kuonji  
>      [The Rabbit And The Moon](http://archiveofourown.org/works/250852) (Cardcaptor Sakura), by kuonji


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